(SEATTLE) March 3, 2015 – AdventureELEVATE (#ATTAElevate) is a two-day intensive educational and networking conference hosted by the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA; www.adventuretravel.biz). The event will be held June 7 - 8, 2015, in Snowmass, Colorado. The event content, driven by the theme “Adventure Means Business,” will present current trends that are challenging adventure travel businesses to consider new models, strategies and platforms for their product development, marketing and customer engagement.
The ATTA has secured the executive chairman of Couchsurfing, Erik Blachford, to give a keynote address at AdventureELEVATE on travel and the peer-to-peer economy. Blachford is considered a leader in understanding the implications of the sharing economy for the travel industry, bringing to the table his experience at the helm of diverse businesses like Expedia, Butterfield & Robinson and Couchsurfing. The session will focus on the growing world of consumers turned providers who are shaking up how travel companies do business.
The ATTA has also invited Greg Klassen to address the delegation with “Embracing Disruption: A Blueprint for the Future of Tourism.” As the head of the Canada Tourism Commission, Klassen helped position Canada as the most recommended destination in the world to visit. In his keynote, he’ll explain how the marketing channels and media that used to be necessary for destinations to reach travelers have been disrupted, and he’ll encourage tourism business owners to embrace social media, big data and content that respects the needs of travelers.
Panel discussions during concurrent sessions at AdventureELEVATE will cover the cultural trends shaping innovation in travel, customer experience management, and the research-based profiles and motivations behind the adventure travel and the outdoor consumer. Panels will be moderated by adventure travel professionals and experts including representatives from destination marketing groups, outdoor and travel associations and leaders of successful tourism companies. Additional content and keynote speakers will be confirmed over the next few weeks.
Between sessions, AdventureELEVATE offers delegates opportunities to network during coffee breaks, meals and participate in a newly developed “Disruptive Networking Adventure” -- or DNA -- cocktail hour. Tour operators and tourism boards can also schedule meetings with adventure media representatives.
“While traditional marketplaces have their place, we’re finding that some of the strongest business relationships are actually built through more meaningful interactions and that is what the event will have in abundance,” said Mr. Shannon Stowell, president of the ATTA. “We are really excited to hold a major event in the U.S. for the industry. The last one stateside was in 1997.”
All content for AdventureELEVATE will focus on business success for organizations within the adventure travel industry. Current event partners include Snowmass Tourism, National Geographic Traveler, Innovation Norway, and Switzerland Tourism. Additional partnerships are available. Registration is open for up to 300 attendees representing North American-based tour operators and travel advisors, media and industry partners and international tourism boards and destination management companies.
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About the Adventure Travel Trade Association
Established in 1990, the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) serves more than 1,000 members in over 80 countries worldwide. Members predominantly include tour operators, tourism boards, specialty agents and accommodations with a vested interest in the sustainable development of adventure tourism. The ATTA delivers solutions and connections that propel members towards their business goals and the industry toward a responsible and profitable future. Through its regional AdventureConnect events and annual Adventure Travel World Summit trade conference, the ATTA excels in professional learning, networking and partnering services. With expertise in research, education, adventure travel industry news and promotion, members of the ATTA receive competitive opportunities that help establish them as leaders in adventure tourism. (www.adventuretravel.biz)
For more information:
- www.adventuretravel.biz
- Adventure Travel World Summit
- AdventureEDU
- AdventureConnect
- AdventureTravelNews
- Adventure.Travel – consumer portal to member tours
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